The Bristol Blog features news and information about Bristol, Connecticut.

November 12, 2008

"Newspapers aren't dying. They are being murdered."

That's what my old editor, Frank Keegan, said today. And that's exactly right.

I truly believe that if the Press could land in responsible hands, it could not just make money again. It could also make a difference.

I can't understand why so many papers are held by companies that think of them as just another commodity, no different than cereal or toothpaste. That's why it's no big deal to them to kill off a paper, because there's always another brand of toothpaste or a different box of cereal.

Newspapers are so much more than that. They are the voice of a community, the only soapbox for ordinary people to stand up to those in power, the only way that insiders don't rule by default. They're so integral to democracy that our founders made sure the First Amendment protected them.

And how sad will it be if in the future teachers have to explain what "the press" was in order for them to understand what the First Amendment was all about.

The internet has done wonders for free speech, but it amounts, in the end, to a furious cacophony, a babble from the rabble rather than a way to hold our leaders accountable the way a free press can, and should.

You should start a completely online newspaper, with a concentration on local issues. That is what the original Press was all about and is the only reason I keep my subscription. You do a great job on this blog of covering local issues. The news agout the demise of th Press is a perfect example, it was here before it was even in the Courant, and it STILL hasn't been covered in the Press. I can get all the other news that fills up the present paper anywhere and in a more timely fashion. I would pay for an online edition to a real local newspaper. I believe you could sell advertising on such a site. I would also be interested in investing in such a venture, should you think this idea has merit.

Personally, I think an online-only newspaper has great potential because its costs are so low compared to the dead trees edition. I do believe there is a market for local news and that there ought to be some advertisers who'd want to reach the people who would read it, particularly given that more of the online readers would be younger than the print edition these days.In the end, it wouldn't surprise me if this is what happens in Bristol.What would it take to pull it off remains a bit of a mystery to me, but I plan to investigate it, and would certainly be interested in hearing from anyone who might invest in the idea.

The problem with on-line papers are that few people actually are willing to pay for them. Perhaps it's because people feel if they can hold it in their hand, take it into the bathroom, or line their gerbil cage with it, then it isn't worth buying it.

What should Steve do if the Press closes?

Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

FEED FOR THIS BLOG

Poll results

With two polls completed now, we know that I should try to get a job as an ambassador and that most Bristol residents will get their news from the bar gossip at the American Legion hall if the Press closes.